French SwissTool

marduk · **on:** September 20, 2012, 11:11:36 PM

The French government in 2008 ordered the SwissTool for its military. The model they chose was the black oxidized two-bladed version (w/both the serrated & plain edge blades but w/o the scissors (3.0323.3). It was modified somewhat to include the blasting cap crimper on the nose of the pliers & officially dubbed 3.0323.3CN. What puzzles me is--why did the French order this tool & not the lighter, more compact one used by he Swiss military--the SwissTool Spirit X, which is also black oxidized w/a blasting cap crimper in the pliers' nose (3.0114.3CCH)? Without contacting the French military, anyone have any idea why?

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #1 on:** September 20, 2012, 11:25:23 PM

Maybe they felt the heavier duty SwissTool was preferable for soldier use?

Def

MARIOS7319 · **Reply #2 on:** September 21, 2012, 12:33:55 AM

My thought, exactly.
Maybe the specifications that has Victorinox from the French military want specific weight for this SwissTool.

Nikos · **Reply #3 on:** September 21, 2012, 01:31:00 AM

The French aside, we've seen Swisstools being issued by several countries in the past. AFAIK the Swiss military was the first to issue the Spirit, and that only happened a couple of years ago when the CCH version came out. BTW presumably the first CCH tools sold to civilians were an overstock from the Swiss military order...

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #4 on:** September 21, 2012, 01:44:29 AM

Yup. I have an Australian army issue Swisstool.

Def

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marduk · **Reply #5 on:** September 21, 2012, 02:15:00 AM

You'all are probably right. The SwissTool looks on the surface to be a more sturdy weapon than the smaller Spirit. I don't know what its like today for combat infantrymen what w/body armor, infrared devices, complex automatic weapons, communications equipment, etc., but in the old days in the USArmy, the first thing a trooper did when going into combat was to ditch all the extra impedimenta supplied by the QM. Gone was the napsack, the bedroll, tent junk, bayonet, K rations, even in some cases the steel helmet and liner. You don't want extra weight weighing you down. Some even got rid of the heavy Gararnd M1 rifle for the lighter M1 carbine whenever one became available. What sounds great to the pencil pushers back on staff turns out to be impractable in the field. But today, times & needs may have changed. What was practical 50 years ago, may not be today. O tempora, o mores!

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #6 on:** September 21, 2012, 02:34:12 AM

While weight saving is always a good goal the difference in weight between a standard SwissTool and a Spirit is pretty negligible, especially when considering all the other stuff a modern soldier is carrying. When you consider that breakfast from day to day will weigh a soldier down more or less than the difference between the different multitool models, the weight savings is pretty insignificant.

Given the choice between the pretty well bulletproof Spirit and the absolutely bulletproof SwissTool I know which one I'd prefer if I was a soldier.

Def

MultiMat · **Reply #7 on:** September 21, 2012, 02:43:23 AM

The Aussie Army apparently did quite a extensive evaluation program to work out which MT to issue & they settled on the standard BO Swisstool. I have been lucky enough to have come across a few Aussie army issue Swisstools , a few have been new

, some have been REALLY well used/abused & the odd one like new but with one implement hammered ie the blade.
The decision to no longer issue the Swisstool to Australian servicemen & issue the Taylor Schrade ToughTool is purely a cost saving one as the ToughTool is smurfy smurffighter piece of smurf

A lot of servicemen buy their own stuff , like knives & MTs.

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #8 on:** September 21, 2012, 02:58:20 AM

I hope no one in the Australian military have an iron grip like Bob....

Def

enki_ck · **Reply #9 on:** September 21, 2012, 10:31:53 AM

I agree with all said but have a question regarding the OP. Wasn't it the Spirit S?

Nikos · **Reply #10 on:** September 21, 2012, 10:34:49 PM

If you mean the 3.0323.3CN, it is a SwissTool (not a Spirit S). If you mean the Swiss military issued Spirit, it is a black oxide Spirit X (plain edge blade and scissors, not the S model with plain and serrated edge blades), with a cap crimper head.